Sagecloud's Tale
by Morning Sun Of Pandora
Summary: A young kittypet, called Sage, has a prophecy about her and enters the clans to discover it and then how to overcome it. She learns of clan life and is given the chance to join, but gets more than she bargained for and it doesn't help that her plans for clan life are put on temporary halt because of a tom cat. I apologize for the summary. Story is based on my OCs.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hello everyone, so this is a story for one of my may OCs for Warrior Cats. It's my first for this Warrior Cats genre and I hope you guys like it.**

* * *

 **Ginger's Kits**

* * *

A white she-cat with a brown dappled pelt was in her little bed, curled around three newborn kits. They had been born a few hours earlier – before the sun set – and they were even more beautiful than she ever imagined. The first born was a she-cat, who was black, with her father's brown fur coating her underbelly, while she had her mother's green eyes. The second one was a male that was white like his mother, but had his father's mottled coloring around his paws, ears and underbelly, and his father's yellow eyes.

The she-cat's eyes drifted to her third kit, the youngest and smallest. She was tiny actually, now that she studied the newborn. The third was a she-cat, who looked like a spitting image of herself. She had her mother's white fur, and the brown dappled color that her mother did – the brown color seeming to resemble various shades of brown, covering the length of her tail, underbelly, chest, and ears. To top off her resemblance to her mother, she even had green eyes, though they were a lighter shade.

She purred softly and licked each of her kits on the head and nuzzled the tiniest of them. _Don't worry little one – I'll protect you and help you grow big and strong._

She thought that she had named their children well. The first one she named, Holly, and the male was named, Brownie. The youngest, she had named, Sage.

Her thoughts concerning their new names were interrupted as they drifted to her first born.

Sedge was from her first litter. He had been born as the only kit: strong and fierce, like his father. He came into the world on the edge of his father's, clan's territory. They had named him together and she brought him back home where she, and later her housefolk, cooed over the newborn. Sedge was already 7 moons old and was living with her mate, in his clan. Sedge reminded her of her mate so much; personality-wise. Appearance-wise, he reflected neither of them entirely, except for his father and only on one aspect. His fur was a light dusky shade of brown and he had his father's yellow eyes.

She missed her first born but knew he was happier with his father and his new clan, but she didn't fret as much now because she would be able to see them soon, especially now that newleaf had begun. She curled around her newborn babies with a soft purr as she dreamt of what meeting her mate and son would be like.

* * *

 **3 Moons Later**

* * *

Three kits scampered after their mother on small legs as she led them out of their twoleg den and into the pine forest.

"Mother where are we going?" asked Sage excitedly.

Her mother, Ginger, glanced back at her with a gentle purr, "Just on a little adventure my darlings." She said softly. "Do you remember what I told you when you had your first day outside?"

"Oh! Oh! Oh! I remember!" Brownie squeaked excitedly bouncing a little on his paws, "That we would be able to go further one day and see the lake!"

Ginger purred in amusement, "Exactly. That's where we're heading." As she scented the air the smell of water came to her. "Now remember, no matter what you need to be careful around the water." She said in a serious tone. "And don't go near the tree line without me, you never know what could be out there."

Her kits looked up at her with wide eyes and nodded quickly, though the excitement was evident in their gazes.

"Oh! What if we meet wildcats?!" Brownie says in excitement.

"What if we get in a fight?!" Holly chirps in agreement.

As they pad near the tree line Ginger sighs softly in amusement but notices her youngest kit sticking closer, her eyes wide at the thought. "That's awful! I don't want fight anyone!" She squeaks terrified.

"Don't be afraid little one; it will never come to that." She said in a gentle tone, giving her a reassuring lick between her ears.

Brownie let out a mock growl, "Yeah! Because I would fight them all off!" He says with a small jump in the air only to have Holly let our _mrrow_ of laughter and bowl him over.

Sage eyed her siblings uneasily, and resumed her close position next to her mother. Her brother and sister sprang apart before dashing after their mother as she approached the tree line.

They leave the tree line and her kits seem to be frozen in place at first at the sight of the lake. "Wow," They breathe simultaneously.

Ginger purrs in amusement and nudges them forward a little, "Well go on." They scampered off squeaking in excitement, curiosity, and awe at the sand, pebbles, and the water. All three then darted for the water as their mother watched from the shore. "Be careful! And stay in the shallows!" She says sitting down and wrapping her tail around her paws.

The three kits ran along the shore within their mother's view splashing each other a few times, while their mother observed with affection and warmth.

"They're beautiful." A soft purr sounded from the bushes and Ginger turned her head to see her mate pushing through the foliage, and a moment later her son as well.

A deep purr rumbled from her chest at her glee. "Oh Hawkflight, I've missed you so much!" The pair touched noses, before he gave her a swift lick on the ear.

"I've missed you too, but its Hawkstar now." He says, though his tone seemed to be lacking its usual warmth and gentleness he held for her.

Ginger's eyes widened slightly as she rubbed her muzzle gentle against his cheek, "That's wonderful! I know you're a great leader!" She purred happily, before turning to her eldest son. He was much bigger than he had been when he had left with his father, and he looked more sturdy and strong; his eyes more intelligent and calculating. They were warm though when he met her gaze, though there was something else she couldn't read in them.

"Hello mother." He purred as she touched noses with him.

"Oh you've grown! Are you eating enough?" She asks eyeing him noticing how he wasn't that far behind his father in height, before noticing that he looked well-fed, just not as much as she was. "You look a little thin," she fretted.

He purred, "Yes, well, life in the forest is more difficult. Food will be scarcer at times, than it is with the twolegs. The prey has been plentiful now that it's greenleaf. " Despite the purr in his tone she caught what sounded like a gentle condescending tone, as if he were superior. "And I'm Sedgepaw now."

She dismissed his tone, only seeing the kit she had first raised. "I'm so proud of you," she purrs gently licking him between the ears.

Her eyes brightened as she remembered why they had all come here as well. "Kits! Come here please!"

Her kits stopped splashing in the shallows at her voice and ran over, with Sage taking up the rear. They stopped a couple of tail-lengths away from the two older cats.

Ginger padded behind her kits and spoke gently. "It's alright little ones. They are your kin. Meet your father, Hawkstar, and your older brother Sedgepaw." She glanced up at her mate and son, "Hawkstar, Sedgepaw, this Holly, Brownie, and Sage," she says gesturing to each of her kits with a flick of her tail.

Holly immediately bounced up to her father and brother looking up at them both with excited and admiring eyes, "Wow you're really tall! Mother says you're really big and strong! Can you fight foxes? Have you ever fought foxes?" She asked in a flurry of questions, not bothering to make clear who she was speaking to, while Sage padded over nodding a bit eagerly, asking questions of her own as well. Her father purred and surprisingly kept track of most of them, answering with ease. Brownie of course was creeping up on his brother's tail and pounced on it causing Sedgepaw to let out a yelp of pain and spin around cuffing Brownie over the head gently with a paw. A couple of heartbeats later Holly and Sage abandoned Hawkstar – ceasing the barrage of questions – and leaped onto Sedgepaw with squeaks of excitement, while he fell over wrestling with his siblings.

Ginger purred and padded over to her mate's side and sat beside him. "There're perfect aren't they?"

Hawkstar gives a nod, "Yes, they are." His voice lacked the gentleness when he spoke to her. There wasn't warmth either, at least none she could detect that matched the amount he had shown their kits. Now that she thought about, the soft purr that had been in his voice when he first saw the kits sounded more like approval.

"Hawkstar is something wrong?" She asks looking at him, while concern swam around her green gaze.

He let out a breath and when he looked at her she almost felt as if she didn't recognize him. His yellow eyes were now void of most emotion, leaving room for only a condescending one. "Ginger, I know no bounds of happiness when I look at our kits. Sedgepaw's training is coming along nicely and he will be a great warrior when the time comes." He pauses for a moment glancing at them before back at the she-cat. "However, I am the clan leader. I can no longer be seen or be mates who have housefolk to take care of them." He says calmly. "And the clan has dismissed the fact of whom – I'm sorry – what, Sedgepaw's mother is. I've regained their trust and I have their respect. I believe I always did, but finding out that their deputy was mates with a kittypet as well as having kit with one, faltered it a bit. Now that I have it back fully and only minor doubts remain, I cannot risk losing it again." He ignored the pained, shocked, and angry look the she-cat gave him.

"So you can just let me go this easily?" She whispered in a hurt tone. "How…what will I tell our kits? That they can no longer see their father because he must be somewhere else more important?" She snapped.

His eyes narrowed at her last words, "The clan must always come first. Even Sedgepaw knows that now. I cannot have any distractions other than that of my clan-"

"-And any other she-cats who may be loyal with pure _clan_ -blood." She growls, her claws unsheathing while her ears flattened.

He looked at her for a moment before nodding, "At least then my loyalty and leadership wouldn't be doubted." He replies with a growl. "You must accept this Ginger."

"Or what," she hisses, "I can come visit my son if I like, or wait by the border if I need to!"

The tom's eyes darkened as he rose to his paws, "You may try, but warriors will claw your fur off and send you wailing back to your twolegs." He snarls. "It doesn't matter what you try, it won't work. You will be seen as a trespasser in ShadowClan territory." He turns his back on her as she glares at him outraged, her fur bristling. "Another word of advice," He says pausing at the tree line, while beckoning Sedgepaw with his tail, "stay at least three fox-lengths away from the tree line and stick as close to the shore as you can. If you cross that distance by even a mouse-length, you will be treated as an enemy." He says coldly. He stalks back into the bushes where he emerged with Sedgepaw following, his head down slightly, allowing Ginger to realize that emotion she hadn't been able to read in his eyes had been guilt.

She spun around sitting down while her claws pricked the pebbles, her tail lashing in pain and anger - all of this because she wasn't clanborn?

"Mother are you alright?"

Ginger turned her head to see Sage, whose eyes looked a bit frightened, but concerned more than anything. Ginger let out a soft sigh and forced her fur to lie flat, before bending over and giving her kit a few swift licks between her ears. "Of course darling, just a bit frustrated is all." She says gently.

The little-cat relaxed a bit feeling better. "Why did Sedgepaw have to leave?" She asks. "He was telling me about the clan cats and then talked about his training, while Holly and Brownie were playing."

"He had other duties to attend to little one; he can't come any longer because he must focus on his training." She said in a sneer, causing Sage to wonder about the cold tone that had never been present in her mother's voice before. "Never mind him," she says dismissively. "Go and play. We'll be returning home soon."

Sage turned and ran over to her siblings, before glancing over her shoulder to see her mother resting in a crouch and staring at nothing, ears flattened against her head, while her green eyes that held such warmth since the moment Sage opened her eyes, were now chips of ice and brittle. A shiver ran down her spine as she wished she could figure out what was wrong.

The day went on while her mother found a slab of stones near the water to bask in the sunlight on her side. Her brother and sister were trying to catch the tiny fish that zipped past every now and then. Sage was left to herself trying to catch a butterfly.

On her fifth leap – in an attempt to catch it with her forepaws – she heard a rustle, jerked down abruptly back onto all four paws. Her head snapped up and ears pricked as she stood alert, while her neck fur began to bristle. Her gaze raked across the tree line before immediately doing a double-take on a section of undergrowth where wild flowers grew.

Staring back into her eyes were another pair – one green and another yellow. Sage wanted to yowl for her mother, but she was frozen with fear and didn't dare move. It was cat as far as she knew (since she'd never seen or heard of a cat with two different hues of eye color). It was probably one of the wild cats which meant she couldn't call for her mother. Her mother was several fox-lengths away, so if she did call for help and the cat meant to harm her, then her mother wouldn't be able to reach her in time.

The second the young kit finished her thoughts, the eyes vanished. Sage let out a breath that she hadn't realized she was holding. She spun around and dashed back over to her mother and pressed against her belly in a crouch. Her eyes darted to the undergrowth where the peculiar eyes had been, but there was still no sign of them. She let out a breath of relief.

A few moments after, Ginger rose to her paws and licked Sage's head gently, before padding back in the direction, from which they first came. "Come along little ones; it's time for us to return home."

Sage was right on her mother's hind paws, while Holly and Brownie caught up with complaints.

"But mother, it's so big out here! And I was about to catch fish!" Brownie said with a little bounce.

"Do we have to go back inside?" Holly mewed.

Ginger glanced down and sighed softly, "Alright then. You may play outside, but you stay near the fence. I'll call you when it's time to come in and then you use the hold in the side of fence and come back in."

Holly and Brownie let out little squeaks of excitement while Sage remained quiet thinking of the pair of eyes.

When they reached the fence, their mother sat in a crouch with her tail curled around her paws and rested her eyes, while remaining alert. Brownie and Holly began tussling on the ground and chasing each other around.

Sage yawned and crouched by her mother settling down before noticing movement through the trees. Curiosity ran deep within in the kit and she rose to her paws and crept around her playing brother and sister, before scampering off into the woods.

She didn't recognize much but tried following the direction in which the "movement" might have trailed. She was amazed as well though at the smell of pines, the needles on the pine trees, that looked stiff and point. Every now and then she would hear the sound of a frog, but didn't stop to pinpoint it.

She padded into a small clearing where weird green plants were growing. They had really thin green stems. The leaves were flat-shaped, looking a little frilly, but thin. She opened her tiny little mouth and breathed in, as the slight fragrance of a minty smell wafted over her scent glands. She closed her mouth and gave it a few sniffs to find other than the tiniest hint of mint, it smelled normal.

"I wouldn't eat that if I were you."

Sage spun around while jumping back, away from the direction the voice has come from. She was pressed to the ground in a low crouch, her fur fluffed up as she stared wide-eyed up at a cat.

The cat was a she-cat with long legs and a long tail, which Sage noticed was curled up near the end, so a few mouse-lengths of the rest of it didn't touch the ground and make noise. The tabby had light brown fur and a slender figure with long whiskers that seemed like they would move if a mouse sneezed near them. The sight that made Sage even more excited (that she found whatever was moving in the trees and was watching her by the lake) and frightened (that was now at its mercy with no hope of her mother being able to help her now), were the tabby's eyes – one green, and the other yellow.

 _It's the cat from the lake!_ She yowled silently to herself.

"Y-You…y-you're from lake," she squeaked after she managed to find her tongue.

To her relief and confusion the she-cat did nothing but purr. "Yes that was me young one." She said gently.

"Why were you watching me?" Sage asked curiously, but received no answer – at least not the one she wanted.

"You didn't eat any of this, did you?" She asked in a concerned and serious tone as she went over to the plants Sage had been sniffing.

Sage frowned, irritated (at the dodge of her question) but curious, "No, I didn't," she said padding to her side, "I was just smelling. They don't smell like much, but if you sniff it closely it smells a little like mint." She informed the she-cat who purred.

"Oh I know. This is chervil." She said bending her head to nip the stems with an experienced motion, as if she had done it many times before. "I'm glad you didn't eat any or else you might have frightened you mother, coming back with a bellyache."

"What do you mean?" Sage asked curiously, her eyes glittering with interest.

"It's used to cure a bellyache or in extreme cases, infected wounds." She informed the kit, glancing at Sage. The she-cat looked pleased at the look of interest and surprise in the Sage's eyes.

"How," The kit asks leaning closer to inspect the plants.

The tabby picks up the stems with the leaves in her jaws and places them to the side. She unsheathes a claw and gently points to the leave, "The leaves are chewed and then you use the pulp. The pulp contains the juice of the leaves, so when you spread on a cat's infected wound, it will use its healing properties to fight off the infection and help the cat heal properly until they're healthy again."

She paused and continued in amusement when she saw Sage listening closely with wide green eyes. "To soothe a belly ache," she says digging down with her claws but gently, "you use the roots." She pulls up the roots of the chervil plant and set them aside. "Asides from juniper berries and a few other herbs, this is will remove the stomach ache. You have a cat chew them and then after a while they will be fine, and their belly will no longer ache." She says finishing her explanation.

"Wow," Sage breathes. "How do you know all that?"

"I'm a medicine cat." She says.

"What's that?"

"A medicine cat is a cat who serves their clan through healing their clanmates and interpreting messages and signs from our ancestors that may provide helpful, whether for better or for worse. So I watch over ShadowClan." She informed the young kit and saw her eyes brighten at the mention of it, but didn't stop explaining to ask if she knew of the clan or not. "A medicine cat will train an apprentice to continue after they have passed on. They will teach their apprentice all they know, so they will be able to continue the duties that the mentor cannot, due to age or…" She trailed off not finished realizing the young kit didn't need to think of life and death just yet.

"Who are you ancestors," Sage asks, obviously having missed the way the medicine cat had trailed off.

Before the conversation could continue her mother's voice drifts through the trees, as she calls her name.

Sage turned in the direction of where her name was faintly being called; sometimes sounding as if it was getting louder. "Uh oh…I have to go; my mother is probably worried about me." She gets to her paws and takes a few paw steps in the direction before turning around. "I really want to hear more, can we talk again?" The young kit asks hopefully.

The she-cat purrs, "Of course. I can come visit your fence if you like, but it won't be every night because I do have a clan to look after."

Sage wanted to yowl her excitement to whole forest, but remembered her mother nearby and decided it wouldn't be wise to do so.

She turns and runs for a bush disappearing through it before her little head pokes back out. "Oh I'm Sage, what's your name?" She asks.

"My name is Lizardwhisker." The tabby she-cat says.

"Oh okay; nice meeting you Lizardwhisker, bye!" She called as she disappeared back into the undergrowth.

She ran along the fence before her mother ran over to her and covered her in worried licks. "Where were you? I thought something terrible had happened!"

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to explore a bit more, especially since I didn't want to mess up Holly's and Brownie's game. I'm smaller and I didn't want them to think-"

Her mother interrupted, "Never think that! Your siblings care for you! They were first to notice you were gone and wanted to come along to find you. Just…" she sighs, "Be careful Sage. These woods aren't as safe as I thought they were. Dangerous things live there and its best they stay there." She hissed the last words, her tone and eyes cold.

Sage felt confused to her mother's quick change of attitude. She had spoken of the woods as nothing but safe, as long as you used caution, and there was nothing but warmth and love as she spoke of it. She pondered the thought as her mother picked her up by the scruff and carried her back to the twoleg nest.

She went through the mini door and set Sage down next her to sleeping siblings. Her mother curled around them and rested her head on her front paws, and closed her eyes after a few heartbeats.

Sage snuggled into her mother's side with a yawn, relaxing more as she felt Holly rest her head on her back. It felt nice to feel warm and safe.

Sage fell asleep that night, but not without feeling guilty and excited. Guilty, because she was going to be meeting with one of the "dangers" of the woods and knew she shouldn't, but her curiosity was stronger than her mother's words. Plus, this particular cat was a medicine cat and seemed to only want to help other cats. Excitement, because she would learn how to help cats, maybe see her father and brother again, as well as learning more about the clan cats. It also helped to know that she had a made a new friend. Who knew – maybe she could join Lizardwhisker and help the medicine cat take care of her clan too, and the come back to tell her mother of her day.

With that contenting thought, the little she-kit soon fell asleep; her dreams were filled with life in a clan and helping others.

* * *

 **In ShadowClan Camp, Later that Night**

* * *

Lizardwhisker padded back into camp with a mouthful of herbs and blinked at Foxpelt with a friendly gaze, which he returned, before resuming his watch.

She went through the thorn tunnel, with brambles around the side, before padded across the clearing flicking her tail tip as she padded across the clearing to her den. The clearing silent as her clanmates slept peacefully.

She went to the corner of the camp where the medicine den (den made of brambles) was and bushed through the screen of brambles. She placed her herbs in her herb store, pushed them into their piles, which were now full and ready for any cats that might need them.

She glanced up through the brambles that covered the top of the den to see glimpses of the sky. She liked the medicine den because unlike the others, the bramble branches at the top weren't thickly intertwined together, so it gave few to the stars above so she could interpret omens or just study Silverpelt.

Her paws stepped along the sandy, hollowed-out floor that was covered in pine needles. She stepped into her nest, before settling down in a crouch and curling her tail around her, letting the tip rest over her nose, before she closed her eyes.

The old cat was now at content and most of her worries now put to rest. She let out a soft purr before drifting off to sleep, "I've found the small shrub."

* * *

 **A/N: Wow! Alright that's the prologue finished. I suppose it's really long for a prologue, but I need this to all happen, so I could stop doing so many time skips and going back and forth (for now, I suppose).**

 **This story will be long, at least I intend it to be and I promise I'll try to get some more action in as well. These are medicine cats so…yeah.**

 **Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. I'm in high school and in AP classes right now, so as to when chapter updates will happen, no idea. But I will do my best to not let it get over a minimum of a month and the max definitely won't be a year. I'll update when I have time, until then see you next update.**

 **Oh yeah and for everyone who took the PSAT hope you did well!**


	2. Allegiances

**A/N: Hello everyone!**

 **I meant to post this immediately after the first chapter, but being in high school, I just didn't have times. Not to mention sports.**

 **Anyways, below are the allegiances.**

* * *

 **ShadowClan**

 **Leader:** **Hawkstar –** Dark murky brown tabby tom with yellow eyes and black paws.

 **Deputy:** **Graytail –** Light gray tom with a white underbelly, front paw, and tail tip, with yellow eyes.

 **Medicine Cat:** **Lizardwhisker –** Old, slender, long-legged light brown tabby she-cat with soft long whiskers, a long tail, and one green eye and another yellow.

 **Warriors:**

 **Nightclaw –** Black tom with amber eyes.

 **Snakefang –** Dark brown tom with a black muzzle and ears and dark brown eyes.

 **Emberblaze –** Dark gray she-cat with orange eyes and back-tipped tail.

 **Rustleclaw –** Russet colored tom with spiky fur and amber eyes.

 **Paleheart –** Pale dusty brown tom with light green eyes.

 **Dappleleaf –** Gray dappled she-cat with black a back muzzle and chin, with unnerving blue eyes.

 **Sedgefur –** Light brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.

 **Apprentice, Primrosepaw**

 **Foxpelt –** Small russet tom with amber eyes.

 **Scorchstep –** Big white she-cat with flame-colored paws.

 **Apprentice, Whitepaw**

 **Littleshadow –** Black she-cat with amber eyes and a white muzzle and chin.

 **Shrednose –** Dark gray tom with scars, and a sliced nose, torn ear, that has amber eyes, one which is sliced; is half blind.

 **Apprentice, Badgerpaw**

 **Brackenstrike –** Mottled brown tom with amber eyes.

 **Cinderflower –** Small dark gray she-cat with fluffy fur and dark blue eyes.

 **Stormclaw –** Large, black, gray, and white tortoiseshell tom with silvery-gray eyes.

 **Sparrowflight –** Brown tabby tom with a white chest and upper muzzle, with brown eyes.

 **Apprentice, Tigerpaw**

 **Cedarleaf –** Dark gray tom with dark green eyes and a white underbelly.

 **Nadia –** White tabby she-cat with mottled gray and black tail, black chest and underbelly, with black legs and dark green eyes.

 **Oliveleap –** Dark gray, almost black, she-cat with dark evergreen eyes.

 **Apprentices:**

 **Whitepaw** – White she-cat with black tipped ears, paws, tail, underbelly, and has pale blue eyes.

 **Tigerpaw –** Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

 **Badgerpaw –** Black and white tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

 **Primrosepaw –** Small white she-cat with ginger-dappled pelt and pale green eyes.

 **Queens:**

 **Larksong –** A dusty brown she-cat with a white underbelly and chest, with dusty brown flecks on her chest, with yellow eyes. Mother of Hawkstar's kits. ( **Brownkit –** Brown she-cat with brown flecks on her white underbelly and yellow eyes. **Blackkit –** Black tom with yellow eyes.)

 **Russetcloud –** Russet colored she-cat with white splotches and green eyes.

 **Poppystep –** Dark ginger she-cat with darker shade of ginger for her paws, and amber eyes. Expecting Snakefang's kits.

 **Elders:**

 **Pinetail –** Dark brown Tom with spiky fur and amber eyes. Oldest tom of ShadowClan.

 **Frogheart –** Murky brown she-cat with evergreen eyes and a white underbelly.

 **ThunderClan**

 **Leader:** **Lionstar –** Large thick-furred golden Tom with forest green eyes.

 **Deputy:** **Timberclaw –** Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes with a light brown underbelly.

 **Medicine Cat:** **Sunfur –** Big golden Tom with green eyes and a white belly and darker golden-tipped tail.

 **Apprentice, Morningpaw**

 **Warriors:**

 **Swiftheart –** Sandy colored she-cat with white splotches and light blue eyes.

 **Thistlestorm** – Dark brown tom with a white splashed chest and dark amber eyes.

 **Leafsong –** Sandy colored she-cat with thick fur and light blue eyes.

 **Toadear –** Dark brown tom with evergreen eyes and black tipped ears.

 **Daisyfur –** Creamy tortoiseshell she-cat with brown muzzle, and brown eyes.

 **Petalthorn –** Light ginger she-cat with dark ginger splotches and light green eyes.

 **Runningleap –** Brown she-cat with a black mottled pelt and amber eyes.

 **Branchstep –** Light brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

 **Firestorm –** Flame colored tom with dark green eyes.

 **Leopardclaw –** Golden tom with yellow eyes and an unusually spotted pelt resembling a leopard's.

 **Smokefang –** Smoky colored tom long sharp fangs and gray eyes.

 **Berryspots –** Creamy tabby she-cat with hazel flecked chest and hazel eyes.

 **Apprentice, Mousepaw**

 **Flameheart –** Flame colored she-cat with a white streak across her muzzle and white flecked chest with light green eyes.

 **Frostpelt –** White she-cat with a mottled brown pelt and pale winter-blue eyes.

 **Tawnystorm –** Small tortoiseshell she-cat with black paws and yellow eyes.

 **Thrushfur –** Light gray tom with a brown speckled pelt and brown eyes.

 **Apprentices:**

 **Mousepaw –** Light gray tabby tom with brown eyes.

 **Morningpaw –** Brown and white tortoiseshell she-cat with dark green eyes.

 **Queens:**

 **Dawnpool –** White she-cat with a dark ginger underbelly and amber eyes.( **Plumkit –** White she-cat with dark ginger-tinged fur and pale blue eyes that seem purple. **Applekit –** Dark ginger she-cat with green eyes. **Cherrykit –** Dark ginger she-cat with white underbelly and amber eyes. **Acornkit –** Brown tom with dark green eyes and black spots.)

 **Spottedfeather –** Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes and white underbelly, chest, and paws. Expecting Firestorm's kits.

 **Oakfrost –** Small brown she-cat with dark green eyes.

 **Elders:**

 **Fernfall –** Gray she-cat with a white underbelly and dark gray ears, tail tip, and paws with blue eyes.

 **WindClan**

 **Leader:** **Eaglestar –** Black she-cat with white underbelly and yellow-amber eyes.

 **Deputy:** **Swiftstorm –** White tabby she-cat with ginger spots and turquoise eyes.

 **Apprentice, Hollypaw**

 **Medicine Cat:** **Cloudshade –** Old thick-furred white tom with light gray spots and silvery gray eyes.

 **Apprentice, Bramblewind**

 **Warriors:**

 **Fawntooth –** Pale brown tabby she-cat with pale blue eyes.

 **Ashtail –** Small smoky gray she-cat with darker gray forelegs and paws, and brown eyes.

 **Apprentice, Quailpaw**

 **Haystorm –** Pale brown tom with green eyes.

 **Doeleap –** Brown tabby she-cat with one green eye and one blue eye.

 **Aspenfeather –** Pale ginger tom with dark green eyes.

 **Deerspring –** White tabby tom with pale brown stripes and brown eyes.

 **Furzeshade –** Small brown tabby tom with yellow eyes and black paws.

 **Moonpelt –** White tabby tom with thick fur and silvery-blue eyes.

 **Whitefeather –** White tabby she-cat with green eyes and silvery markings resembling feathers.

 **Sorrelleap –** Ginger tortoiseshell she-cat with white underbelly and yellow eyes.

 **Echoleaf –** White she-cat with a black and brown spotted pelt, with green eyes.

 **Crowflight –** Raven colored tom with long legs and amber eyes.

 **Ambertuft –** Fluffy light brown she-cat with amber eyes.

 **Gingerfoot –** Ginger tom with a mottled pelt and yellow eyes.

 **Apprentice, Birdpaw**

 **Brindlelight –** Black dappled, mottled she-cat with brown fur and amber eyes.

 **Dappleflower –** Dark brown dappled she-cat with blue eyes.

 **Apprentices:**

 **Quailpaw –** Brown and white tabby tom with green eyes.

 **Birdpaw –** White she-cat with sandy splotches and blue eyes.

 **Hollypaw –** Black she-cat with hazel eyes and a stubby tail.

 **Bramblewind –** Dark brown tabby tom with black stripes and underbelly and white chest, with pale blue eyes.

 **Queens:**

 **Grasspool –** Light sandy tabby she-cat with a white splashed chest and pale blue eyes. Mother of Haystorm's kits. **(Littlekit –** Wiry white tom with light brown spots and green eyes and unusually small whiskers. **Heatherkit –** Light brown tabby she-cat with splashes of white on her pelt and hazel eyes.)

 **Elders:**

 **Rushwind –** Thick-furred tom light gray messy fur and yellow eyes.

 **Onefang –** White and heather colored she-cat with one fang and amber eyes

 **RiverClan**

 **Leader:** **Reedstar –** Dark ginger tom with amber eyes and darker shade of ginger striped tail.

 **Deputy:** **Mistysky –** Blue-gray she-cat with black paws and green eyes.

 **Medicine Cat:** **Rosewillow –** Pale ginger she-cat with white underbelly and yellow eyes.

 **Apprentice,** **Brookfeather**

 **Warriors:**

 **Trouttail –** Silvery gray tom with yellow eyes.

 **Pebbleleap –** Dark gray tortoiseshell she-cat with light brown eyes.

 **Smokeclaw –** Big dark gray tabby tom with black stripes and amber eyes.

 **Shelltail –** Pale sandy colored she-cat with white paws and striped tail with pale blue eyes.

 **Apprentice, Eelpaw**

 **Hailspeckle –** White dappled tom with gray eyes.

 **Splashheart –** White she-cat with black splotches and blue eyes.

 **Ripplestream –** Gray dappled tom with dark blue eyes.

 **Stormpelt –** Dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes. Senior.

 **Apprentice, Stonepaw**

 **Duckleg –** Small dark gray tom with black legs and amber eyes.

 **Beaverstep –** Dark brown tom with orange eyes.

 **Willowtail –** Silvery gray she-cat with light blue eyes.

 **Mossycreek -** White and black spotted she-cat with dark green eyes.

 **Apprentice, Leechpaw**

 **Otterleap –** Small dark brown she-cat with amber eyes and light brown paws.

 **Breezemist –** Light gray she-cat with a fluffy thick fur and brown eyes.

 **Dewlight –** Light gray she-cat with soft fluffy fur and white tipped ears and tail tip, with light blue eyes.

 **Apprentice, Boulderpaw**

 **Apprentices:**

 **Eelpaw –** Black tabby tom with amber eyes.

 **Stonepaw –** Dark silver-gray tabby tom with blue eyes.

 **Leechpaw –** Black tabby she-cat with white underbelly and jaw with blue eyes.

 **Boulderpaw –** Big dark gray tom with amber eyes.

 **Brookfeather –** Dappled brown she-cat with pale green eyes.

 **Queens:**

 **Silverpool –** Silvery gray she-cat with a white chest, muzzle, and tail tip, with green eyes.

 **Elders:**

 **Whiteeye –** Half blind white she-cat with blue eyes.

 **Shallowpelt –** Gray she-cat with light gray underbelly and muzzle, with turquoise eyes.

 **Hollowear –** Ginger she-cat with green eyes and one ear.

 **Mudtail –** Dark brown tom with amber eyes and missing tail.

 **Icefur –** White she-cat with light blue eyes and gray flecks.

 **Cats Outside the Clans**

 **Kittypets:**

 **Ginger –** White she-cat with a brown dappled pelt and green eyes.

 **Sage –** White she-cat with a brown dappled pelt, of various shades of brown, covering the length of tail, underbelly, chest, and ears, and light green eyes.

 **Holly –** Black she-cat with dark brown fur coating her underbelly and green eyes.

 **Brownie –** White tom with brown mottled paws, ears, and underbelly with yellow eyes.

 **Loners:**

 **Hannah –** Golden she-cat with white striped tail and green eyes.

 **Moxie –** Black and white calico she-cat with brown eyes.

 **Louise –** Gray tabby tom with fluffy fur and blue eyes.

 **Rogues:**

 **Pepper –** Dark ginger tom with black flecks and green eyes.

 **Vixen –** Brindled she-cat with black paws and ears and yellow eyes.

 **Shadow –** Black tom with amber eyes and long claws.

 **Lara –** Small white she-cat with baby blue eyes.

* * *

 **A/N: Well that's the allegiances. Sorry if you all were expecting a chapter, I just didn't have the time, but I hope to update soon. Preferably before Thanksgiving.**

 **Until next time guys!**


	3. Decisions & Joining the Clan

**A/N: I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years.**

 **Sorry for the slow posting, I'm working on a Young Justice Fanfiction and it has more reviews and shows better progress so I've decided to work on the stories that receive the most notice.**

 **It doesn't make sense to focus on stories that have little to no recognition while the ones showing clear progress and potential are ignored.**

 **Without further ado here is the next chapter.**

* * *

"You're running out of time my friend," says an old starry brown tom. "When will you make your move?"

The light brown tabby she-cat let out a frustrated breath causing her soft long whiskers to flutter, "I _know_ ," she hisses, ears slightly flattening. She was in the middle of pacing and stopped before looking at the tom. "She needs more time…"

The tom shakes his head, "Lizardwhisker no more time can be wasted. It's been three moons since you've met this young cat. You must ask her now for how she wishes to live. Your clanmates are already suspicious of your disappearances anyways and you must take an apprentice before –"

"– I _know_!" She snaps her tail tip twitching irritably and her ears swiveling slightly. "I've done my best."

The tom nods and rests his tail tip on her shoulder. "I know you have; StarClan knows it." He lets out a breath, "Oh my dear apprentice…you have done all you can. Now it's up for her to choose the right path and know her destiny. You have time, but when the pine falls..."

"Yes, yes, I know," she rasps, her voice filled with sorrow.

He gives a soft purr. "You say that a lot." He gently rests his nose on her head. "Things will occur as they must, but for now she must make her decision so you can fulfill your destiny and she hers. Don't lose faith."

He fades and their surroundings do as well, before Lizardwhisker opens her eyes half way and stares at the sandy floor, with pine needles scattered across the ground. Despite the dream now gone, the words she'd heard of since she was a young cat after her mentor had passed, seemed to drift on the breeze.

 _The lizard must find shelter under a small shrub where sage roots can be found. The lizard will shelter under the shrub through the falling of all leaves and soft ice. The shrub will grow and earn its leaves when life begins again, so the lizard can rest in peace._

* * *

Sage was racing through the forest scrambling under a bush as a yowl sounded behind her; quickly turning into a fearsome snarl. She could almost imagine her pursuer's breath hot on her tail as she pelted for the familiar clearing, where a light brown tabby she-cat was sitting with her back turned.

She heaved breaths before she hopped over a bramble bush, only for her hind leg to be snagged by the fur; the brambles pricking her skin causing her to let out a furious hiss. The tabby turned her head to eye Sage before she ripped herself free only for a heavy weight to pounce on her back, flattening her. She squirmed underneath the firm paws before going limp. "You win! You win! Get off me Nadia, you're squashing me like a leaf," she wailed.

A deep purr rumbled from the former rogue's chest before the weight left Sage's back. "That's it," she asks and scoffs, "It's hard to remember if you're a cat or a mouse."

Sage looks up at the she-cat indignantly, "I'm a cat considering I look nothing like a stupid mouse." She gets to her paws and shakes her fur shedding it of leaves and twigs, before shaking her hind leg a bit balancing on three paws. She lets out a soft hiss, "And thanks to you my hind paw will be sore for the rest of the day."

Nadia just shrugs but amusement is clear in her eyes, "Happy to oblige."

Sage turned her head and limped over to the light brown tabby she-cat, "Thanks for the help," she says dryly.

The old she-cat let out a purr, "An honor to be of service." She reached over to several piles of mixed herbs and brushed them over, "What will you use to fix your leg?"

Without hesitation Sage responded. "I don't need any it's just stinging a little and will bruise lightly if at all. The thorns didn't scrape me enough to leave scratches." She twists her head around to get a better look, "Just missing clumps of fur and no signs of thorns that penetrated my skin. None in my fur; I ripped myself away pretty quick. But if I wanted to be safe, I would use marigold to stop the possibility of any infection and chew it into pulp and spread the poultice along my leg, and then add nettle to reduce any possible swelling – nettle only being used if thorns were really deep."

Nadia had padded over and sat in front of Sage, but at a diagonal angle so she didn't get in Lizardwhisker's way or trample the herbs; she looked impressed. She'd met Sage when the young cat had been close to three moons. Ever since the two had met they'd been unlikely friends, considering Nadia was the exact opposite of her personality.

She had claimed to be looking for Lizardwhisker and Nadia would have declared it a lie and run her off, but the young cat had known their medicine cat by name and came straight to the clearing where she grew several of her herbs. That had only been three moons ago and she was only the age of an apprentice now, but knew pretty much all the herbs as well as their uses and how to apply them. She didn't know why Lizardwhisker was teaching Sage all these things, though she wasn't that stupid not to guess why. Lizardwhisker was one of the oldest cats in the clan, asides from her brother; it was past due time she got an apprentice anyways. But a kittypet? She knew she shouldn't judge being a rogue, but that seemed different when you were talking about a medicine cat. As a rogue joining the clan, it didn't matter if you believed in StarClan or not. She was there to provide and defend the clan, not heal it. A medicine cat required the faith and belief needed to interpret signs and receive warnings in dark times or troublesome situations. Non-clanners – as she referred to them – wouldn't be a wise choice for medicine cat when their connection to the clan cats' ancestors wasn't even sure to be solid, if there at all.

She emerged from her thoughts as she watched Sage explain which nettle she should use. "Nettle leaves to reduce swelling; the seeds are used to counteract poisons."

Lizardwhisker had pride in her gaze, "Exactly; you've done wonderfully in remembering most herbs; though you still have a few others that you could learn. But working on a cat is highly different from just reciting the uses of herbs." She nods to the gray and black, white mottled tabby she-cat. "Take Nadia for instance; she's a competent warrior and like some have a temper. So when in pain there's a chance she'll lash out and make sounds of pain. You can't stop your work, especially if she were in imminent danger of joining StarClan." She continued despite how Sage's eyes looked a bit anxious. "As an apprentice, Nadia would have definitely been the type of cat to try to claw a cat if her wounds hurt to be disinfected – remember poultices do sting. But you can't just leave her alone if she manages to grab a chunk of fur, for her condition will become worse."

Sage looked a bit nervous at hearing this. She had never thought of treating other cats directly before. She and her mother and siblings had always been taken care of due to the vet doing something to them all to prevent them from getting sick. She'd never had to practice before, asides from the occasional teaching lesson she got from Lizardwhisker when she demonstrated how to change out cobwebs or add marigold on her wounds from a couple of battles.

"I-I know that," she managed to get out, "But…I'd never have to watch out for that many cats so I don't think I'll ever experience it."

Lizardwhisker's gaze suddenly narrowed and became intense, "That's not true; you could experience it, there is a way," she said waving her tail to signal Nadia to leave them be. The mottled she-cat narrowed her eyes before getting up; giving them both a glance before leaping over a bush, haring off through the pines.

Lizardwhisker spoke again when she was sure they were alone. "Sage, I've given you privileges that most cats never experience. One being, you're able to come and go in this area without being harmed and I've kept my clanmates off your tail. No one knows asides from your brother – however rare his appearances may be – and Nadia. I cannot keep this up, especially now that you're no longer a kit. You're of the age of an apprentice now, meaning if some cat did see you, they'll see you as more of a threat." Sage looked alarmed but Lizardwhisker continued. "I know you enjoy it out here, but there's more you can experience, including that of curing a cat of any harm that falls upon him."

She paused and flicked her ear before continuing to speak when it was clear the young cat wouldn't do so. "Sage if you lived with my clan you would be able to have such experiences. Scary at all times it may be to have the lives of your clanmates in your paws, but at other times it can be exhilarating, as can other aspects. Sage if you were to join the clan as a medicine cat – as my apprentice – you could experience freedom that your life currently doesn't allow. You'd learn more about herbs and StarClan, than you ever could have with my daily teachings." Her eyes widen and Lizardwhisker is pleased when she notices interest and wonder fill Sage's gaze – even seemed to brighten at the sound of StarClan.

Sage was speechless at first and hopped up her tail curling in delight, though she felt anxiety and other emotions seeming to boil in her belly. She didn't care to worry too much on those at moment. "This is amazing! You really mean it?"

Lizardwhisker lets out a satisfied purr, "Of course; I've trained you for a few moons and you know more than an average medicine cat apprentice at your age would know. I think you deserve to have a chance at honing your abilities in something you have a natural talent for. Plus, I don't want my clan worried that if something ever happened to me, they'd be left without a medicine cat." Lizardwhisker wouldn't share the words she heard in her dream or on the wind when her mind wandered, at least not yet. She didn't want to scare Sage or make her think it had been her plan all along to train her and then recruit her. It was half true, but Lizardwhisker had become fond of the young cat whereas starting off she saw her as the key to the prophecy she had been given, and began to mold her. The young cat's spirit however had reminded her of her own as well the uniqueness that Sage had been so intrigued about the aspects of herbs and so open-minded when she spoke of StarClan and how clans worked. It was refreshing.

"I can't wait to tell mother! She'll be so pleased! And I can visit her and explain how life is! I'll even be able to stay with Sedgefur! And meet my father!" She squeaks with an excited hop.

Immediately the purr died in Lizardwhisker's throat. "Sage you can't continue to see your mother or siblings. It's against the warrior code. You must remain loyal to your clan and as their medicine cat you must always be present to help them if they should need it – not have one perish by mistake just because you went off to chat with your kittypet associates."

Sage frowned, "But they're my family…"

Lizardwhisker shakes her head, "If you join the clan, they will be your new family; but you can't live with a paw in two worlds. You must choose and remain dedicated to your choice. Unlike a warrior, a medicine cat abandoning its clan would be more tragic, due to the fact that in leaf-bare any illnesses received will kill them off without someone to cure it." She felt sympathy rise in her at the look of distress in Sage's eyes. She was young, but it was time to choose. Her words were hypocritical due to the fact that she had been away from her clan more in the past three moons than ever before due to spending time with Sage. That could last no longer, especially with leaf-bare approaching.

The old she-cat rose to her paws and nudged her clump of herbs together before looking down at Sage. "I know this is overwhelming, but something tells me, part of you knew something like this would happen." She licks Sage's ear reassuringly, "Think carefully Sage. I know you'll make the right choice and in the long-term, you'll be glad of it. I wish I could give you the leeway I have been doing for the past few moons, but leaf-bare is coming and I can never be far from my clanmates." She turns and leans down to grab the clump of marigold and a small clump of tansy in her jaws. She gives Sage a gentle reassuring look. "I'll come back here by dawn tomorrow for your decision." She turns and pads off into the forest, leaving Sage in slight turmoil.

She turned and paced a bit heading to and then away from her housefolks' home, before following a trail down to the lake shore. She crouched down on the pebbly shore and sighed eyeing the water that shimmered a bit with the sun high above, before she began to doze off on a slab of rock; the movement of the water lulling her to sleep a bit.

She heard several voices and frowned before opening her eyes to see her surroundings. The voices stopped as she rose up. "Hello?" She called. She frowns, there weren't any sounds. Her gaze fell to the lake shore and she couldn't hear the water washing up and then receding. She went over to the edge and pressed a paw down but nothing happened. She slapped her paw down this time but the water didn't splash nor make a sound. She turned feeling unnerved before seeing herself lying on the slab of rock, sleeping.

Sage's eyes widened in terror and the fur rose along her neck to her spine, her tail bushing out slightly. "What's going on," she mews shrilly, beginning to panic.

Something brushes along her spine and she jumps letting out a shriek before spinning around to see an old brown tom eyeing her with a gentle gaze. "It's alright young one. Don't be frightened you're alright; you're just dreaming. My name is Mudtail."

"I'm Sage." Sage let her fur slowly lie flat, her eyes still wide with fear but wonder slowly creeping in. "I-I've never had a dream like this before," she stammered, "Usually mine are filled with mice…"

A purr of amusement rumbled from his throat, "I'm sure. But I've come because you need help don't you?" His tone was now serious as was his gaze. "You don't know whether to stay with your family or create a new, and experience something new to which your talents have emerged clearly."

Sage flattened her ears a bit, "Y-Yes…I…" she lets out a sigh of despair. "…I don't know. I wish to stay with someone and learn more, but I don't know if I could bear leaving others behind. Yet, I know if I stay with the ones I know best, I won't be happy – at least not completely"

The tom nods, "Then perhaps you should do what you know will make you happy. What will fill your spirit each day and have you always waking up wondering what adventure the day would hold?"

Sage shuffles her paws and feels guilt and then realization. She glances up at the tom. "I know what I must do."

The tom gives a nod, "Then make your choice." He leans forward, his noise resting gently on her head before a swarm of hushed voices rose and he disappeared causing everything to go black.

Sage opened her eyes halfway before they widened and she scrambled to her paws whipping around, but didn't see the tom. She blinked astonished. _It was a dream…_

She glanced at the water and realized it looked almost orange and she directed her attention above. The sun was setting, a bit pass dusk. She immediately spun around and pelted off towards her home and scrambled up the fence, before pausing.

Her heart ached now. She didn't wish to leave without saying goodbye and didn't want her mother to worry about whether she was alive or dead. However, that wouldn't spare her grief of knowing that another of her kits had left to join a clan. She'd see it as Sage wanting her father which was partly true but not her full reason.

She noticed the shapes of her brother and sister wrestling and her heart nearly broke as she remembered all the play fights they had shared, the mini adventures. None would compare to her new one that awaited her now and most likely extended further into the far future. She noticed her mother's pelt glowing a bit in the dim lit room. Her front paws hanging off the edge; while she watched her kits play with a satisfied twitch of her tail.

Sage let out a sigh and couldn't bring herself to say goodbye. She also couldn't guarantee her mother wouldn't lash out or try to keep her there by force – she'd become more bitter after their father cut ties.

She takes in the scene one last time before hopping down onto the opposite side of the fence and padded to the tree line, and stopped to glance over her shoulder. _Goodbye…I'll miss you all._

She turned and broke into a trot through the pine forest. Lizardwhisker had said they'd meet at dawn, but she couldn't wait, especially now that she didn't want to have time to think and change her mind. It was getting dark anyways and she knew it wasn't exactly safe to sleep out in the middle of the woods where a fox might snatch her up. She was so busy in her thoughts of how she'd find the camp and explain her early arrival that she forgot to be vigilant.

A screech tore through the air and Sage was bowled over, to which she hissed and swiped out blindly, terror overtaking her. Her attacker was a bit bigger than her but felt smaller than Nadia, but not by much. Almost as quickly as Nadia had done earlier that day, she was pinned flat on the ground, but this time she felt claws piercing her skin. "Trespasser!"

Sage lets out a sound of pain at her claws before wriggled and then shoving up with all her might which jerks her attacker off balance. Sage shoves up again at a different angle and spins sloppily swiping with a paw, which lands on the cat's muzzle, and a hiss of pain could be heard.

Sage scrambled around quickly in a low crouch her fur fluffed out and came face to face with her attacker. She was right about her attacker not being much bigger than Nadia; probably not much younger too.

A black and white tabby she-cat had her shoulders squared and head lowered a bit. Her amber eyes were full of fire. Her ears were flattened as she drew her lips back in a slight snarl, her claws unsheathed, "You'll think twice about venturing into ShadowClan territory once I'm through with you kittypet!"

Sage was trembling a bit before a sharp command sounded from behind the she-cat causing her to rise and spin around. "Badgerpaw, back off!" A light brown tabby tom with yellow eyes appeared out of the bushes with a younger and smaller white she-cat with a ginger-dappled pelt beside him. Her green eyes were wide as she took in the situation and began to bristle slightly as her gaze landed on the two ruffled she-cats.

Sage barely registered the other she-cat before letting out a sound of happiness and purring uncontrollably, "Sedgefur!" She darted over to her brother and touched noses with him. He returned the gesture before pulling back at a disbelieving hiss.

"You know her?" The black and white tabby was bristling her tail lashing. "Figures! Takes a kittypet to know another," she sneers curling her lip.

Sedgefur pads up to the apprentice with a hiss, "I'm a warrior now and the clan accepts me! So don't forget I could have you checking the elder's fur for ticks for a moon with one word!"

Badgerpaw scoffs. "You're not my mentor, so unless you're Shrednose, _don't_ give me orders!"

"Get back to camp you stupid toad!" Sedgefur snaps irritably, to which the she-cat sends a glare to Sage before turning and sprinting off into the trees.

Sedgefur turned around and faced his sister. "I enjoy the rare meetings we have, but what are you doing here? Why would you come out here without Lizardwhisker?"

Sage managed to calm her racing heart from the previous encounter and swallowed. "I've come to tell her my decision. I'm joining ShadowClan."

Surprise flashes across the tom's face before he scowled, "And you thought you'd just pad through the woods until you found the camp? Believe it or not, there are more vicious things out here than just Badgerpaw. Why didn't Lizardwhisker wait for you by the border?"

Sage looked a bit sheepish and shuffled her paws, "Well…she told me to meet her at dawn tomorrow, but I couldn't bear to say goodbye to our mother and siblings."

Sedgefur eyed her for a moment with an unreadable expression and Sage thought her brother was going to turn her away, but he let out a sigh. "Very well; it's getting dark anyways and I suppose it would be safer just to take you there now."

He jerked his head for his apprentice and Sage to follow him as he padded through the pines to camp. As they walked Sage couldn't help but notice how Sedgefur seemed to grow grimmer as they continued on their trek to camp.

"Don't worry, it's not you that's caused this mood," whispers a soft voice. Sage turns her head jumping a bit having been reminded of the apprentice's presence. "He's just worried because not all of our clanmates approve of him due to his kittypet heritage, and him bringing another kittypet wouldn't look too good."

Sage's eyes widened, "That's awful! But surely they shouldn't be so harsh; our father was pure bred right? Therefore he's only half kittypet."

Primrosepaw shakes her head. "Afraid not – being half of something non-clan, is just as bad as being half clan. It just shouldn't happen. But Sedgefur has earned his place and the loyalty of most. Oh and it's nice to finally meet you."

Sage felt warmed by the apprentice's approval and support towards her brother before feeling wary. "How exactly do you even know me?"

"Sedgefur told me about you after I followed him out of camp when I noticed him sneaking out. He was an apprentice then, and told me stories and the reason why he would sneak off every now and then." Sage suddenly realized why he came so rarely: to visit when he could but not enough to where his loyalty was questioned. "Of course I was a kit then," the young she-cat continued, "So I was found out and punished," she said in a grudging tone causing Sage to let out a _mrrow_ of amusement.

"Which is needed for someone who doesn't wish to follow the rules," Sedgefur calls over his shoulder not looking back at either them as he continues on his way, though the amusement and warm affection is clear in his voice.

Primrosepaw just huffed. "Being punished for being adventurous is just cruel."

Sage couldn't help the happy and more relaxed feeling that seeped into her fur. Her brother was happy and his apprentice was really nice. It also didn't hurt that she was friendly. Of course the relaxed feeling she had vanished when they approached bramble bushes, where a dark gray she-cat sat guarding the entrance.

Sedgefur just padded pass her pushing through the prickly bushes. "Who's this?"

"Just someone who wishes to speak with Lizardwhisker," the tom calls over his shoulder.

The she-cat just flicks her black-tipped tail remaining silent, though her orange eyes pierce Sage's fur as she hurries through wanting to escape the she-cat's gaze.

When she pushes through the bushes her eyes widen at the camp. It was a bit bigger than she imagined, but then it had to be to house all the cats taking refuge in it. It was circular and had thicker bramble bushes and lower branches acting as the wall for the camp. She noticed a few young cats around Primrosepaw's age resting outside the den nearest to them on their right. On the same side as the den with warriors padding out was a smaller den next to a big oak tree. In the corner was another den which looked like it had a less foliage on the roof. Next to it in an opposite corner was another den where a russet colored she-cat and a dusty brown she-cat sat outside grooming each other, casting glances at two kits chasing one another. Next to that one was a den where she saw a murky brown she-cat with a white underbelly, disappear inside, a frog hanging from her jaws. As they padded to the center passing a pile of prey, Sedgefur halted near the smaller den by the tree. "Stay here, Sage, I must go inform Hawkstar we have a visitor." Sage nodded but became more anxious as Sedgefur sent Primrosepaw away to get Lizardwhisker.

She sat in the clearing alone, her tail tip twitching to show her anxiety and self-consciousness. A few cats had paused in whatever they were doing to eye the young kittypet. Her gaze rested on the den nearest to the entrance where younger cats were speaking amongst themselves shooting glances at her, some hostile and others suspicious. One of the cats she couldn't help but notice was the one that attacked her. What was her name again? Butterpaw? Beepaw? Badgerpaw…yes that sounded about right.

She shuffled her paws and felt her heart hammer in her chest as a white tom with black tipped ears, paws, underbelly, and a tail padded over. His pale blue eyes were unreadable other than the calmness that came with his tone. "Who're you?"

His tone betrayed suspicion but so far nothing seemed hostile about him. "I-I'm Sage…" she stammers, before forcing her voice to stop quivering. "I'm Sedgefur's sister; I've come to join."

Surprise flashed across his gaze and he let out a scoff, "His kitty-siblings?" He let out a huff of mock laughter, "Great, more kittypets."

Sage's fur bristles as she glares at him. "I suppose you'll just have to accept it then!" She snaps.

His eyes narrow, "I'll accept what I want."

"I don't care if you accept me or not, but I can ignore your wails of complaint so my ears don't fall off," she retorts.

"More like _raked_ off," he growls.

Fear runs through her body a bit as she eyes the tom. "Leave her be Whitepaw."

Sage turns to see Sedgefur padding over to them with Hawkstar following. "She's here and the decision hasn't been made as to whether or not she'll stay."

Alarm flashes in her gaze, "But –"

Sedgefur raises a paw to silence her. "I'm sorry Sage, but I'm not leader. You joining falls to Hawkstar," he says stepping aside as their father pads up and looks down at Sage.

"Leave us Sedgefur, you too Whitepaw." The young tom lets out an annoyed hiss but turns and stalks back to his denmates, while Sedgefur pads over to the edge of camp and sits near the entrance.

Her father's gaze rests on her. "Now why are you here?"

Sage swallows feeling as if she had a piece of prey stuck in her throat. "I-I…I want to join the clan." She paused when he didn't seem surprised before continuing. "I wish to train under Lizardwhisker. She's taught me a lot and I think clan life would better suit me rather than my life now."

"You mean the life of a pampered house pet?" He prompts calmly.

Sage forces her neck fur to lie flat, but she struggles harder not to bristle. "Yes."

"Sage are you sure this is what you want? Do you even know anything about the herbs? StarClan? The aspects of clan life; the warrior code?"

Sage opens her mouth to reply, but a stern hiss interrupts her. She turns her head to see Lizardwhisker stalking over a bit stiffly. "Of course she does," the long-legged tabby snaps, "I've been sneaking away for the past three moons training her. She already knows more than any average medicine cat apprentice might at her age. All she needs now is practice with actual patients and to share dreams with StarClan. She'll be loyal, I know that for sure, and she has a natural talent with herbs." She gave Sage a sharp glance, "Though I could've sworn I said I'd meet with her for her decision _by_ the border, and _at dawn_!"

Sage flinches and glances down, "I would have waited, but I couldn't bear to say farewell to my mother and siblings. I was going to sleep out in the woods, but it was getting dark by the time I made the decision. And this cat called Mudtail who told me I should do what I know is right and what would make me happy –"

"Mudtail?" Lizardwhisker echoes, her eyes intense. "Was this an old tom; brown with amber eyes?"

Sage nods hesitantly, "Exactly; how did you know that?"

Lizardwhisker turns to Hawkstar triumphantly. "Will you be more willing not to question her wanting to join? She saw Mudtail and he was alive when your mother was nothing but an apprentice. He's dead now of course – in other words – she's seen a StarClan cat already and wasn't even at Moonpool."

Sage was still a bit dazed not being able to follow the connection or point Lizardwhisker had just tried to tell Hawkstar, though it seemed Hawkstar understood well enough. He lashed his tail. "Is there anyone else who can be a witness to you knowing her?" He growled.

Lizardwhisker narrowed her eyes, "I can't believe you're so blind to the fact that her joining won't be bring any harm to the clan."

"You sneaking off from your clan is very suspicious and I won't put the clan in danger just because of a misjudged assumption from you," he hissed.

Lizardwhisker just curls her lip before giving another lash of her tail. "Sedgefur, Primrosepaw, and Nadia; Nadia actually visited her every other day."

Hawkstar eyed Sage for a moment with a suspicious and intense gaze. "Very well then…point out all three cats Lizardwhisker has just named. Then name three herbs and their uses – basic ones."

Sage knew it was a test, at least the third one anyways, and the second task would be easy as well. She turned her head around and stood up noticing Primrosepaw with the other apprentices. "That's Primrosepaw." She immediately spots her brother watching her, "And Sedgefur." She glances around the camp but can't find her friend. "Nadia isn't here…"

Hawkstar flicks his ear, "Coincidental," he says simply and receives a dirty look from Lizardwhisker. The old she-cat knew his games and knew that he'd specifically chosen cats that were there but left out a third.

"Describe what she looks like," Lizardwhisker says shooting Hawkstar a smug glance to which he just gives stoic expression, though his twitching tail tip gives off his irritation.

"She's a white tabby and has a mottled gray and black tail. All of her legs are black like her chest and belly." She pauses making sure she had named everything before adding, "And she has eyes that are a bit darker than Lizardwhisker's." She turns back around to look up at her father with triumph, her tone betraying her pride and smugness at realizing the trick. "That's right isn't it," she asks innocently, which results in a growl coming from Hawkstar's chest.

"Name the herbs," he said gruffly.

She couldn't help but feel bright and rattled off three without any trouble, having chosen basic ones that even warriors learn: Poppyseeds (help to induce sleep), burdock root (used to disinfect wounds, best on rat bites), and marigold (used to disinfect and prevent infection of wounds).

At his silence though, Sage became nervous. Her father or not (not that he was acting anything like one), he was still leader and his word could outweigh even Lizardwhisker's. "Does she need to name every herb and its use or may she join and train as my apprentice," Lizardwhisker asks dryly.

Hawkstar shot a glare at Lizardwhisker who just studied him sternly. He let out a sigh giving one more glance at Sage before trotting over to the oak tree and clawing his way up the trunk before hopping onto a branch. He was padding across it until he stood in the middle before sitting leaving his tail to hang down. The tip still twitched to show his silent irritation which hurt Sage a bit. She had always known her father was distant from how her mother behaved at times, but she'd thought he would have been more welcoming to his own daughter. She recalled Primrosepaw's words about some of Sedgefur's clanmates not accepting his heritage; what if Hawkstar was one of those cats?

"Let all cats old enough to hunt in the shadows gather beneath the High Branch for a clan meeting!" He yowled.

Movement sounded throughout the camp, a few grumbles came from the older cats, as they gathered before the oak tree surrounding Sage so she was left alone in the middle. She forced herself to look up at Hawkstar and sit down wrapping her tail around her paws. The clan cats were in a semicircle around her she could feel eyes on her and forced herself not to tremble. Her claws unsheathed before she sheathed them again, her tail tip twitching. She didn't dare turn around but knew Lizardwhisker must have been behind her.

"As you know by now, Sedgefur and Primrosepaw returned with a cat that was seen in our territory. She has come today to join ShadowClan," he said pausing to allow the shocked gasps and a couple yowls of outrage to filter through the camp. Sage couldn't help but bristle a little and noticed Sedgefur out of the corner of her eye and noticed he looked irritated as well, but gave her a slight nod of encouragement. She swallowed feeling a bit better and glanced to his side noticing Primrosepaw who was giving her a friendly gaze. Immediately she felt a bit better but not by much.

"I've spoken with Lizardwhisker and I'm going to allow it!" He said raising his voice above their sounds of objection, only for them become louder. "Silence!" Little by little the protests ceased and he continued to speak. "This young cat will join this clan and train to be a medicine cat apprentice."

Shocked gasps escaped a few cats while a Badgerpaw called out, "That's impossible! She's a kittypet! How would she know anything about StarClan!"

"Lizardwhisker will handle her training," he pauses looking at Badgerpaw, "And she claims to already have had a dream by the lake of Mudtail." He paused and the clearing was in silence but Sage could practically feel the tension, suspicion, and hostility, especially since the last two emotions were burning into her pelt. "This young cat joining is for the good of the clan. Lizardwhisker isn't invincible or immortal. If she were to fall ill we'd have to rely on other clans for help, grow sick ourselves, or have our wounds grow infected. With this addition to the clan, we will have a second medicine cat and will be even more prepared for leaf-bare."

"She'll just be an extra mouth to feed," one cat called out.

A light gray tom with a white underbelly raised his voice. "So Lizardwhisker is an extra mouth to feed as well," he asks, a challenge in his tone. "What about the elders, our queens and kits? Are they just extra mouths to feed?" He asks in a scathing tone, his yellow eyes cold.

Hawkstar nods to the tom with gratitude for his support. "This young cat will become part of the camp and in the future succeed Lizardwhisker as the next medicine cat. Any cat who wishes to harm her, will answer to me or Graytail."

His words are greeted with a few mumbles of disapproval while some just hissed. "Very well then," he said looking down at Sage, "Sage, step forward." Sage felt her paws tremble as she rose and took a few steps forward. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and serve this clan even at the cost of your own life?"

Sage feels her heart hammering but answers without hesitation. "I do."

"Then we welcome you to ShadowClan as a full clanmate." His gaze shifts to something behind her, "Lizardwhisker," the she-cat pads forward until she's standing beside Sage, "Are you ready to take on an apprentice?"

"I am," she says with a nod.

"Then I hope you pass on all you know to Sage and will train her well." His gaze flickers back to Sage. "Until your mentor has given you your full name, you will be known as Sagepaw."

A few cheers take up her name, but nowhere near half of the clan, but Lizardwhisker's proud gaze warmed her pelt and she could have sworn she saw some flicker in Hawkstar's eyes but it was gone before she could be sure. _No matter. I'll serve ShadowClan and my clanmates well and you'll be proud of me when I do._

Her pleasure was increased when she noticed Sedgefur and Primrosepaw were amongst the few cats chanting her name, but surprised when she noticed one of the apprentices doing so as well – a dark tabby tom with amber eyes. Even his denmates looked surprised and Sagepaw couldn't help but feel unnerved by how his gaze met hers and didn't leave it, causing her to force herself to glance away.

"Dismissed," Hawkstar's mew rang above the cheers. He hopped down and gave Sagepaw one more glance before padding passed both she-cats, but Sagepaw caught his whispered words to Lizardwhisker. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Lizardwhisker narrowed her eyes, "Don't I always?"

Hawkstar pauses and beckons with his tail for her to follow him. Lizardwhisker glances at Sagepaw. "Once this little crowd of congratulations disperses, see if one of them will give you a tour of the camp, then come to my den." Her mentor turns and pads after Hawkstar as they both disappear into his den.

"Congratulations," a deep husky mew sounds behind her. She turns to see a dark brown tabby tom – definitely bigger than an average apprentice his age – padding up to her. She tensed a bit but remembered him as one of the cats who chanted her name. She was reassured by him having no false intentions when his amber eyes revealed nothing but friendliness. "Lizardwhisker is a great cat and you're lucky to have her as your mentor. Careful though, she's known for her sharp tongue and stubbornness at times." He said in a soft purr that made Sagepaw feel soft and warm.

"Thanks for the warning, but I found that out when I was four moons old. Tends to happen when I mess up on a simple herb," she purrs jokingly.

"Well you definitely got lucky," Primrosepaw says skipping up to her and pressing her nose into Sagepaw's shoulder lightly before pulling away, eyes bright. "She's almost clawed my ear a few times when I did something stupid." She let out a _mrrow_ of laughter and nodded to Tigerpaw, "Nipped Tigerpaw a couple of times too; that's what you get for venturing into her den unannounced."

Tigerpaw glared at the smaller apprentice, "I was just a kit and just wanted to know what it was like in there."

"Bet you learned your lesson," she says with amusement glittering in her eyes.

With a mock growl the tom bowled the she-cat over and they tussled on the ground while Sagepaw watched in amusement. "Bunch of kits those two are."

She glances at her brother who padded to her side. "Congratulations though, it'll be nice to have someone else in camp who understands what it's like to be an outsider." Sagepaw frowned at this remembering Nadia had been a rogue. "Nadia is swell and all, but clan cats prefer rogues and loners over kittypets any day because both of them know how to fight half the time, and don't live pampered lives," he explained seeming to have read her mind.

Sagepaw felt sympathetic for her brother realizing he'd been living in a place he loved to be, but was ridiculed all due to his impure origins. She pressed her nose gently into his shoulder fur. "I'm here to talk whenever you need me."

He gave a brisk lick to her ear. "Thanks; same applies to you if you ever need to talk." He pulls away a bit, "Well I'll leave you to explore the camp." He glances up at the sky realizing the sun was starting to shift to dark and looks to the two apprentices still scuffling. "Hey you two," he calls and the apprentices break apart breathing hard, but their eyes gleaming as they turned to look at Sedgefur. "Show Sagepaw around and then head to your den to get some rest," he says padding off in the direction of the fresh-kill pile and picking up a finch before retreating to the corner of the camp and eating.

"Great!" Primrosepaw says bouncing a bit on her paws. "Come on," she says padding to the smallest of the rest of the dens, "This is Hawkstar's den."

Tigerpaw follows and nods to the oak above it. "And that's the oak tree that he announces meetings on."

"No, really," Primrosepaw says in false surprise.

Tigerpaw gives her a shove and Sagepaw just shakes her head in amusement, before following the apprentices as they went near the entrance and stopped near a much larger den. "This is the warrior's den," Tigerpaw informs her, his eyes glittering with envy and impatience. "Soon we'll be there."

Primrosepaw nod, her eyes holding longing, "Until then, we sleep over here," she says leading Sagepaw over to another den built like the rest with bracken, tendrils, and brambles. "Right now the only ones who sleep in the apprentice den are myself, Tigerpaw, Whitepaw, and Badgerpaw. Though Badgerpaw and Whitepaw will probably be leaving in a couple of moons; they're much older than Tigerpaw and I."

The rest of the little tour was ended when they had shown Sagepaw the medicine den. Tigerpaw had been present after they had shown Sagepaw the elder's den, because his mentor told him to get some rest for the dawn patrol. Grumpily, he complied and congratulated Sagepaw once more before stalking to the apprentice's den. Once giving a short farewell, Primrosepaw soon followed and Sagepaw disappeared into the den.

The floor was a bit sandy with pine needles scattered everywhere. The ceiling of the den unlike the rest had more gaps which gave enough space to see the stars in the sky. The main area of the den had a few nests lined up alongside the wall and across from them was a small section where herbs were stacked and organized. _The herb store_. She thought to herself as she went over to inspect it.

"Did you enjoy the tour?" Lizardwhisker stepped into the den eyeing her new apprentice.

Sagepaw nodded. "Yes, Primrosepaw and Tigerpaw were great. It's much bigger and organized than I thought. Holly and Brownie were always making up stories about how wild cats were savages and after my father, Hawkstar…my mother encouraged their mindsets."

Lizardwhisker gave a nod and flicked her tail tip, her eyes narrowed in seriousness. "I understand you may worry about your mother and siblings, but your focus and attention must be here entirely. You can't be feeling homesick or regretting your decision while treating one of your clanmates. You might mess up and feed them the wrong herb or try to heal a wound and make it worse. You must remain focused and determined." She flicks her ear, "So basically keep the talk of your past life to an absolute minimum. We're your family now; your home." She says gently, resting her tail tip on Sagepaw's shoulder gently.

The young cat gives a nod sighing a little. "I understand, sorry." Lizardwhisker turns and squeezes through two bramble bushes before curling up in her nest. Sagepaw followed and noticed a second one next to hers. She felt a bit better knowing she wouldn't ever be completely alone. She stepped into her nest before curling up and tucking her paws under her chest. Her tail wrapped around her, just in front of her nose.

"Goodnight Sagepaw," she hears her mentor mumble.

Sagepaw can't help the soft purr that escapes her, "Goodnight Lizardwhisker." She glances up through the tangles of brambles above them to see the night sky and lets out a soft sigh, closing her eyes. A few heartbeats later she falls asleep, for once less restless and feeling at peace in her new home.

* * *

 **A/N: And das is the end of today's chapter.**

 **I hope you are all enjoying Sage – well Sagepaw now – so far.**

 **That's it for now.**

 **Until next time.**


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